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2009 New Year’s is over, the Bowl games are all played, it’s time to “start making memories for the year of ’09”.

On the 7th of January I turned another year older (66). I was home hatched 3 miles south of Wauneta with Dr. Carlson and helper Mary Bardsley present. Mother had decided all the other children were born at home and I could be as well, Norma in 1923, Neoma in 1925, Robert in 1933, and my turn in 1943. When I grew old enough to go to school with others my age, most of them were born in the hospital. I always wished I wasn’t born so close to Christmas as all the relatives gathered for the holidays and it was too close for them to make much of a fuss. I always did get a cake to share, usually with just the family on a weekend closest to the 7th if the weather permitted. It seemed we used to have much more SNOW then.

Our daughter-in-law Amy doesn’t do mornings if not absolutely necessary. Amy is a night person, but with four boys she lays out stacks of the boys’ clothing for the morning school rush and also loves the crock pot for hot breakfasts on the mornings she has to get ready for the rush and/or if she is going to substitute teach that day.

Banana Cream Oatmeal Amy Straub

4 c. water

2 c. old-fashioned oats, dry

1/2 c. fat-free, sweetened condensed skim milk

2 medium bananas to slice thinly into 1/4 inch pieces

Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray. Place the water, condensed milk, and oats in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. (Add the bananas 5 minutes before serving.) Serve warm. Spoon into bowls and add milk. Yield: 4 (1 1/2 cup) servings.

I like to cook raisins (raisin oatmeal), dried apricots (apricot oatmeal) or substitute apple cider for half of the water and add 1/2 c. dried cranberries with the oats and cook overnight for Cran-apple oatmeal.

Split Pea Soup

Robert Straub March 07

4 - 14 oz. cans fat-free chicken broth

1 1/2 lb. smoked ham, cut in small cubes

2 c. frozen hash browns, chopped

1 lb. bag dry split peas

1 c. frozen chopped onions

1 can (15 oz.) sliced carrots, drained (or shredded raw carrots)

1/2 tsp. dried Thyme

Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray. In slow cooker mix together the broth, hash browns, onion, ham, peas, thyme, and carrots (if using raw carrots). Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours. Stir in the canned carrots, drained, (if not using raw carrots). Cover and cook until the can of carrots is heated thru. Yield: 12 - 1 cup servings.

Serve with biscuits and fresh vegetables and vegetable dip.

Bob works shift work at an open pit coal mine. He cooks in his trailer in Wright, Wyo., and on the days he is off he’s at home in Kaycee, Wyo., and cooks for the family, especially if Amy is at school. He says they all enjoy this one.

Is anyone out there willing to share some of your recipes or memories with Wauneta? Send them to Box 303; Wauneta, NE. 69045. I know there are many who have moved from Wauneta for school, jobs, marriages and still have a connection with their home town. I’ve always loved to read the paper before we retired back home.